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Sri Lanka Population 2023

Sri Lanka map
  • The current population of Sri Lanka is estimated at 21,879,999 people as of March, 2023, according to the latest population growth rate and projections.
  • Population of Sri Lanka represent 0.28% of the total world population.
  • The population density of Sri Lanka is 337 inhabitants per km2.
  • Sri Lanka is located in Asia.
  • Sri Lanka ranks number 58 in the list of countries ordered by population.
  • The latitudinal point of Sri Lanka is 7.319475. The longitudinal coordinate of the country is 80.594415.
  • The median age in Sri Lanka is 34.0 years.
  • Minimum Wages in Sri Lanka is 16,000 LKR per month, around USD $44.75 per month, in 2022.
  • The countries that Sri Lanka shares its land boundary with are not existent, it has no land borders.

Sri Lanka

Official name Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Location Asia
Capital Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Population 21,815,213 (as of Juli 2022)
Population density 337/km2
Population growth rate 0.43% (in 2023)
Area 65,610 km2 (25,332.15 sq mi)
Official language Sinhala and Tamil
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (Rs) (LKR)
Life expectancy 74.10 (2022 est.) years
Internet TLD .lk
Call code +94

Sri Lanka Population Graph

Sri Lanka Population History (1960-2020)

Year Population Male Population Female Population Male (%) Female (%) Urban Population Urban (%)
2020 21,923,384 10,512,263 11,411,121 47.95% 52.05% 4,101,865 18.71%
2019 21,807,361 10,465,353 11,342,008 47.99% 52.01% 4,053,988 18.59%
2018 21,674,334 10,410,183 11,264,151 48.03% 51.97% 4,005,417 18.48%
2017 21,448,289 10,312,337 11,135,952 48.08% 51.92% 3,942,196 18.38%
2016 21,207,241 10,207,045 11,000,196 48.13% 51.87% 3,883,046 18.31%
2015 20,974,194 10,109,562 10,864,632 48.2% 51.8% 3,829,888 18.26%
2014 20,782,156 10,033,625 10,748,531 48.28% 51.72% 3,786,509 18.22%
2013 20,589,117 9,958,956 10,630,161 48.37% 51.63% 3,747,219 18.2%
2012 20,429,085 9,901,977 10,527,108 48.47% 51.53% 3,718,093 18.2%
2011 20,402,576 9,911,571 10,491,005 48.58% 51.42% 3,715,309 18.21%
2010 20,265,790 9,867,413 10,398,377 48.69% 51.31% 3,694,454 18.23%
2009 20,127,533 9,824,249 10,303,284 48.81% 51.19% 3,671,262 18.24%
2008 19,987,981 9,782,118 10,205,863 48.94% 51.06% 3,649,805 18.26%
2007 19,846,012 9,736,453 10,109,559 49.06% 50.94% 3,625,866 18.27%
2006 19,699,916 9,690,389 10,009,527 49.19% 50.81% 3,603,115 18.29%
2005 19,548,897 9,639,561 9,909,336 49.31% 50.69% 3,577,448 18.3%
2004 19,391,030 9,586,925 9,804,105 49.44% 50.56% 3,552,437 18.32%
2003 19,227,881 9,529,338 9,698,543 49.56% 50.44% 3,524,471 18.33%
2002 19,066,288 9,470,225 9,596,063 49.67% 50.33% 3,498,664 18.35%
2001 18,915,509 9,416,140 9,499,369 49.78% 50.22% 3,474,779 18.37%
2000 18,781,362 9,368,143 9,413,219 49.88% 50.12% 3,452,014 18.38%
1999 18,667,026 9,327,913 9,339,113 49.97% 50.03% 3,434,733 18.4%
1998 18,568,308 9,291,581 9,276,727 50.04% 49.96% 3,418,426 18.41%
1997 18,474,591 9,257,618 9,216,973 50.11% 49.89% 3,404,867 18.43%
1996 18,370,963 9,216,712 9,154,251 50.17% 49.83% 3,387,606 18.44%
1995 18,246,566 9,165,250 9,081,316 50.23% 49.77% 3,368,316 18.46%
1994 18,098,093 9,099,721 8,998,372 50.28% 49.72% 3,342,718 18.47%
1993 17,928,412 9,023,370 8,905,042 50.33% 49.67% 3,314,963 18.49%
1992 17,740,374 8,939,374 8,801,000 50.39% 49.61% 3,281,969 18.5%
1991 17,539,239 8,846,792 8,692,447 50.44% 49.56% 3,248,267 18.52%
1990 17,329,234 8,749,530 8,579,704 50.49% 49.51% 3,212,840 18.54%
1989 17,110,173 8,649,192 8,460,981 50.55% 49.45% 3,173,937 18.55%
1988 16,881,562 8,543,759 8,337,803 50.61% 49.39% 3,134,906 18.57%
1987 16,647,285 8,435,179 8,212,106 50.67% 49.33% 3,093,066 18.58%
1986 16,412,143 8,325,880 8,086,263 50.73% 49.27% 3,052,659 18.6%
1985 16,179,517 8,217,577 7,961,940 50.79% 49.21% 3,011,008 18.61%
1984 15,951,691 8,108,245 7,843,446 50.83% 49.17% 2,971,800 18.63%
1983 15,727,786 8,002,298 7,725,488 50.88% 49.12% 2,931,659 18.64%
1982 15,504,310 7,894,795 7,609,515 50.92% 49.08% 2,893,104 18.66%
1981 15,275,877 7,783,059 7,492,818 50.95% 49.05% 2,853,534 18.68%
1980 15,038,847 7,668,308 7,370,539 50.99% 49.01% 2,798,729 18.61%
1979 14,791,824 7,546,789 7,245,035 51.02% 48.98% 2,736,487 18.5%
1978 14,536,598 7,422,387 7,114,211 51.06% 48.94% 2,674,734 18.4%
1977 14,276,350 7,293,787 6,982,563 51.09% 48.91% 2,612,572 18.3%
1976 14,015,697 7,166,226 6,849,471 51.13% 48.87% 2,550,857 18.2%
1975 13,757,892 7,041,289 6,716,603 51.18% 48.82% 2,490,178 18.1%
1974 13,504,631 6,918,422 6,586,209 51.23% 48.77% 2,430,834 18%
1973 13,254,683 6,798,327 6,456,356 51.29% 48.71% 2,372,588 17.9%
1972 13,004,834 6,679,283 6,325,551 51.36% 48.64% 2,314,860 17.8%
1971 12,750,381 6,556,246 6,194,135 51.42% 48.58% 2,256,817 17.7%
1970 12,488,733 6,430,449 6,058,284 51.49% 48.51% 2,198,017 17.6%
1969 12,217,880 6,299,539 5,918,341 51.56% 48.44% 2,138,129 17.5%
1968 11,940,472 6,164,866 5,775,606 51.63% 48.37% 2,077,642 17.4%
1967 11,660,448 6,029,618 5,630,830 51.71% 48.29% 2,017,258 17.3%
1966 11,383,396 5,895,461 5,487,935 51.79% 48.21% 1,959,082 17.21%
1965 11,113,492 5,765,680 5,347,812 51.88% 48.12% 1,901,518 17.11%
1964 10,852,581 5,641,172 5,211,409 51.98% 48.02% 1,846,024 17.01%
1963 10,600,059 5,522,631 5,077,428 52.1% 47.9% 1,793,530 16.92%
1962 10,354,665 5,407,206 4,947,459 52.22% 47.78% 1,734,406 16.75%
1961 10,114,066 5,294,714 4,819,352 52.35% 47.65% 1,677,924 16.59%
1960 9,876,846 5,184,356 4,692,490 52.49% 47.51% 1,622,766 16.43%
Source: Worldbank Open Data | Some data could be adjusted by Pediaglobe.

Cities in Sri Lanka ordered by Population

The list offered below features the biggest cities of Sri Lanka. Besides, in the table you will find information regarding the population size in these cities. Cities are ordered by population (largest to smallest).

Sri Lanka

# City Population 2023
1 Colombo 648,941
2 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 220,750
3 Maharagama 196,273
4 Jaffna 169,880
5 Moratuwa 169,071
6 Negombo 138,458
7 Pita Kotte 118,758
8 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte 116,509
9 Kandy 112,427
10 Trincomalee 108,908
11 Kalmunai 100,602
12 Galle 93,928
13 Point Pedro 90,439
14 Batticaloa 87,644
15 Katunayaka 85,379
16 Valvedditturai 78,823
17 Matara 76,803
18 Battaramulla South 76,412
19 Dambulla 67,430
20 Kolonnawa 65,400
21 Kotikawatta 65,114
22 Anuradhapura 61,479
23 Vavuniya 60,724
24 Hendala 57,474
25 Ambalangoda 57,345
26 Ratnapura 48,339
27 Badulla 47,968
28 Puttalam 46,058
29 Devinuwara 45,338
30 Ampara 44,026
31 Welisara 41,752
32 Kalutara 37,426
33 Bentota 37,340
34 Matale 36,841
35 Homagama 34,986
36 Beruwala 34,589
37 Panadura 34,052
38 Mulleriyawa 33,882
39 Kandana 33,708
40 Ja Ela 32,423
41 Wattala 31,023
42 Peliyagoda 30,990
43 Kelaniya 29,106
44 Kurunegala 28,822
45 Nuwara Eliya 27,709
46 Chilaw 24,959
47 Gampola 24,521
48 Eravur Town 23,200
49 Hanwella Ihala 23,115
50 Weligama 22,416
51 Vakarai 21,195
52 Kataragama 21,146
53 Kegalle 18,125
54 Hatton 15,225
55 Polonnaruwa 14,045
56 Kilinochchi 13,126
57 Tangalle 10,584
58 Monaragala 10,326
59 Wellawaya 10,090
60 Gampaha 9,448
61 Horana South 9,122
62 Wattegama 8,146
63 Minuwangoda 7,862
64 Horawala Junction 7,601
65 Kuliyapitiya 6,955
66 Ella Town 5,088
67 Mihintale 5,081
68 Haputale 4,794
69 Mirissa City 4,763
70 Talawakele 3,589
71 Koggala 3,051
72 Talpe 3,031
73 Mawalgama 2,058
74 Unawatuna 2,032
75 Bogahakumbura 1,525

Other Countries from Asia Ranked by Population

Country Name Population 2023 Population density
China 1,450,158,659 145/km2
India 1,383,820,649 417/km2
Indonesia 276,736,832 142/km2
Pakistan 231,611,059 243/km2
Bangladesh 167,903,853 1,108/km2
Japan 125,553,305 332/km2
Philippines 112,540,861 337/km2
Turkey 86,336,104 116/km2
Iran 85,971,815 49/km2
Thailand 70,176,879 136.1/km2
Myanmar 55,086,917 76/km2
South Korea 51,912,141 507/km2
Iraq 42,001,087 83/km2
Afghanistan 40,697,213 48.57/km2
Saudi Arabia 35,909,711 15/km2
Malaysia 33,170,971 98/km2
Nepal 30,151,786 180/km2
North Korea 25,807,433 213/km2
Taiwan 23,898,113 650/km2
Sri Lanka 21,815,213 337/km2